Article 16. B-4 PLANNED SHOPPING CENTER DISTRICT  

16-1.  The regulations set forth in this article or set forth elsewhere in this ordinance when referred to in this article are the regulations in the B-4 Planned Shopping Center District. Such district shall be laid out and developed as a unit according to an approved plan as provided below in order to accomplish its purpose to provide for modern retail shopping facilities of integrated design in appropriate locations to serve residential neighborhoods.

16-2. Purpose. The purpose of this district is to encourage planned commercial developments in appropriate locations through unified planning and building operations, improved access, improved parking facilities and better arrangement of uses.

16-3. Use regulations. A building or premises shall be used only for the retail sale of merchandise, services, offices, parking areas and similar facilities ordinarily accepted as shopping center uses. No building shall be designed, constructed, structurally alerted or used for dwelling purposes except to provide, within the building allowed, facilities for a custodian, caretaker or watchman employed on the premises.

16-4. Height and area regulations. The height and area regulations set forth in Articles 21 and 22 shall be observed; provided, however, that the aggregate ground area occupied by buildings shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the total area of the shopping center site.

16-5. Parking and loading regulations. Off-street parking area shall be provided in the ratio of not less than three (3) square feet of parking area for each square foot of floor area, the parking area to be determined as provided in Article 25. Loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with requirements for the B-1 Neighborhood Shopping District prescribed in Article 25-4A.

16-6. Procedure. The owner or owners of a tract of land which comprises five (5) acres or more may submit to the city council (and file with the city building official) a plan for the use and development of such tract for the purpose of and meeting the requirements set forth in this article. The application for zoning change shall be accompanied by a site plan (as described in Article 27) defining the areas to be developed for buildings, the areas to be developed for parking, the location of pedestrian and vehicular circulation and the points of ingress and egress, including access streets where required, the location and height of walls, the provision of spaces for loading, the location, size and number of signs and adjustments to be made in relation to abutting land uses and zoning districts.

16-7. Review and approval. Before any action thereon, the application for change of district and the proposed planned shopping center plan, together with the required supplementary information, shall be referred to the city plan commission for study and report and for public hearing. The recommendations of the city plan commission shall be accompanied by a report stating the reasons for approval or disapproval and conditions imposed. Following the report and recommendations by the city plan commission, the city council shall approve or disapprove the district change and site plan with or without conditions.

16-8. Standards and building permit. Every approved project must meet city standards for construction and/or improvements. No building permit shall be issued until the necessary plans and specifications, as described in the subdivision regulations and applicable city policies, have been approved and construction of improvements guaranteed as provided in the subdivision regulations.

16-9. Delay in construction. In the event that construction of the shopping center is not begun within two (2) years of the date of approval by city council, the district shall revert to the same zoning classification existing prior to approval of the B-4 District, and the zoning regulations of said prior district shall thereupon be in full force and effect.